Something in the Night

Chapter Eight

Without a sound, she crept closer, concentrating on the dwarf by the fire, her blade in one hand. Her heart beat harder now. Her hand trembled, her blade throwing off flashes of silver and gold as it trembled with her.

She paused just beyond the rocks. Dwalin snored on. The ponies grazed or napped or did whatever it was ponies did at night. There was no one else around. She just needed to come up around the rocks and take Thorin by surprise and in one fell swoop, remove his head from his shoulders.

It would be easy.

Except it wasn't easy at all.

Her shoulders sagged, the tip of her blade catching the dirt. "Stop it, you ninny," she whispered sharply, glaring at the blade as if it somehow offended her. "You can do this. You must do this. He took everything from you. It is his turn to have everything taken from him."

Her resolve returning, she straightened and took another step, raising her sword as she did.

A branch cracked loudly in the distance and Thorin was on his feet in a moment, sword drawn as he whipped to his left, where the sound had come from, and when he did and saw her with her blade drawn as well, he said, "You stay here. I'll go and see what that was."

Dwalin leaped to his feet, his eyes heavy-lidded but otherwise alert and he didn't so much as stumble as he dove for his axe. "What is it?"

Both dwarves started toward the trees and Nina glanced first at her blade, then at their retreating backs. "I'll come—"

"No," Thorin tossed over his shoulder, "you will remain here."

"But—"

"Do as I say." He didn't wait for her reply, and although Dwalin shot her a look over his shoulder, he said nothing, just hurried alongside his leader into the trees.

It would be risky, attempting to do anything with Dwalin right there with them. She was fast, but not that fast. But then again, if they had unwanted visitors, anything could happen in a melee.

Perhaps she should go and see if they needed any help.

Before she could move, though, they were on their way back, weapons lowered. A hint of irritation fluttered through her. She'd been so close. Again.

"So, who was there?"

Dwalin shook his head, settling his axe back against its rock. "If anyone was there, they are long gone. There was but only broken branches and trampled underbrush."

"Should we go look?" She turned to Thorin as Dwalin climbed back into his bedroll."What if they return?"

"I don't think they will." Thorin settled back by the fire. "They weren't keen on facing us, which means that—"

"Perhaps they were going for reinforcements."

Dwalin lifted his head then. "Lass has a point."

Thorin looked from Dwalin to her and back. "And if we both remain awake, we will be dead on our feet come morning. Get some sleep and if anything happens, I'll wake you."

"Are ye certain?"

"I am." Thorin nodded. "Go to sleep. We go at the first light of morning."

He glanced over at her then. "You get some sleep as well."

She nodded, then moved to her own bedroll, laid her sword alongside it, and climbed in. Little by little, the night sounds softened, Dwalin's snores intensified, and as she lay there, her thoughts growing darker by the moment, she wondered if perhaps Thorin was right about that Mahal being. Perhaps he watched over the dwarf king with the greatest of care.